HHS’ Office of Inspector General found that four out of 30 selected dental providers did not comply with terms stipulated under the Provider Relief Fund program.
Congress appropriated $178 billion for eligible providers for healthcare-related expenses or lost revenues that could be attributed to COVID-19, according to a Dec. 1 news release from the office.
In the audit, the OIG found that four dental providers inaccurately calculated and reported $3.4 million in lost revenue. These four providers received a total of $14.8 million through the program. The dental providers misinterpreted Health Resources and Services Administration guidelines for calculating lost revenues from patient care and used incorrect revenue amounts, the release said.
The OIG has recommended that HRSA require the four dental providers to return any payments that were used to offset the incorrectly calculated lost revenues.
